The Welsh MPs still undecided on assisted dying

MPs will vote on giving terminally ill adults the right to have an assisted death

MPs are preparing to vote on whether to allow terminally ill adults to be provided with assistance to end their own life.

It would be a hugely consequential societal change, compared by many to the legalisation of abortion or the abolition of capital punishment.

Politicians will be given a free vote, meaning the choice is for them to make as individuals rather than being told what to do by a political party.

The BBC has been speaking to some of those still making up their minds.

Vale of Glamorgan Labour MP Kanishka Narayan has been in office since July, and said he was trying to gauge the opinion of his constituents and weigh it up against expert opinion.

Narayan has been attending events with experts, campaign groups, disability rights activists and medical professionals and held a number of listening events.

One constituent, Conway Hawkins from Wick, told Narayan on a virtual meeting he was concerned about a lack of funding for end of life care.

Another, Stephen Blackman from Llansannor, said he wanted to see the bill "go forward", because he understands "it’s the individual that has the final word whether they think it’s time to go or not".

Labour MP Kanishka Narayan thinks it is the right time for Parliament to discuss assisted dying

"The bit that reassures me is the narrow focus of the bill in terms of who it applies to," said Narayan.

"The bit that I am still uncertain about has been whether or not our medical professionals are going to be in the position where they can truly assess if someone has given consent without pressure and whether they can truly assess how terminal an illness is."

Despite not having reached a final decision yet, he agrees it is the right time for Parliament to have its say.

"I think we’ve been reckoning with this question as a society for a long time, so I’m not worried about the timing or the pace of it."

Plaid Cymru MP Llinos Medi says her decision is never going to please everybody

Fellow new MP Llinos Medi, who represents Ynys Mon for Plaid Cymru, is also undecided.

"I’ve actually had a personal experience myself with the loss of my father so I’ve always had that in my mind," she said, adding that the views of islanders will be the other influencing factor although she cannot please everyone.

"I’m elected to make those decisions and I have to take that responsibility because I put myself forward for that," she added.

"But it’s making sure that when I go into that position, whatever it may be, that I can justify it to those individuals that aren’t happy.

"This is a massive decision to make and I need to make sure that I can make that decision in full knowledge of the feeling of Ynys Mon."

A key concern for Medi is around mental capacity and a person’s ability to make a choice to end their own life while experiencing terminal illness.

Time pressures on the bill are also unfortunate, she said.

It’s not yet clear if the bill would also require a consent vote in the Senedd.

Kim Leadbeater says her bill would have the strictest safeguards on assisted dying in the world.

What is the proposed law on assisted dying?

Labour MP Kim Leadbeater published proposals earlier this month to make it legal for over-18s who are terminally ill to be given assistance to end their own life.

If the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill for England and Wales becomes law, it would give people, in certain circumstances, the right to die at a time of their choosing.

Supporters have said it offers a compassionate option for those enduring terminal illnesses, upholding personal choice and dignity.

Opponents warn that people could be put under pressure to end their lives and have urged the UK government to focus on improving palliative care instead.

If a majority of MPs support the bill on Friday, it will move to the next stage, involving further debates and votes in the House of Commons and Lords in 2025.

A Welsh government spokesperson said: “We are in regular contact with the UK government regarding the private members assisted dying bill to understand and plan for any implications for Wales.”